'River Anise was like the morning sun. Her rays were gentle and calm, accompanied by a light breeze. Her light painted the skies with a beautiful array of colors that Percy thought no painter could ever truly capture.'
-
(Percy Jackson)
(The Lightn...
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chapter fifteen: the thorns of betrayal prick deep
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River hurriedly packed her things that last morning of camp. She was more than excited to see her mother after all the excitement just a few months ago. She was sure that Natalia was going to attack her with affectionate gestures when she got home, and she couldn't wait for it.
Most people would be leaving a bit earlier on the first shuttle bus, taking them to the airport, but River lived close enough that Natalia could come pick her up at the edge of the camp's boundaries.
But as she hummed to herself, shoving the last of her things into her painted suitcase, she suddenly had this horrible feeling. It felt like her heart was crumbling to pieces. Tears sprang to her eyes and her ears rang loudly.
River dropped her things and bolted from the cabin, not bothering to stop as some of her siblings called after her in worry. She could only think about running in the direction her intuition told her to go. She found herself running right into the woods until she saw two nymphs peering down at a fallen figure.
"Percy!" River called out, dropping to her knees near him, "No, no, no. What happened?"
River looked down to see the large welt on Percy's hand. It was leaking with yellow fluids and she could tell that it was poison. River couldn't heal him on her own.
River took his uninjured arm and threw it over her shoulders, beginning to drag him back to camp as she cried. She was scared. Was Percy going to die?
"Chiron!" River screamed out when she got back to camp, "I need help!"
People came filing out of their cabins, staring at the spectacle until Chiron eventually came and took him from her.
River was trembling as she followed behind him into the infirmary. Once he was set down in bed, River aided Chiron in healing him.
"What happened?" Annabeth asked as she burst into the room.
"I don't know. I just found him like that," River wiped away the tears that wouldn't stop coming.
Annabeth sighed, "Why don't you take a seat, Riv? You've done all you can."
River dragged a chair over to the side of the bed and plopped down, taking Percy's uninjured hand in hers. She began singing hymns under her breath even though she knew it wouldn't do much more.
Annabeth gave Percy some nectar and, eventually, he opened his eyes.
"Here we are again," Percy croaked out.
River squeezed his hand, "You almost died, Percy. If it weren't for Chiron..."
"Now, now, Percy's constitution deserves some of the credit. As do you, River. How are you feeling?" Chiron asked from the edge of the bed.
